B.B.&O. In English Finals For First Time Since 2003

B.B.&O. captain Ashley Walton with the South East Championship trophy after his team won the qualifier for the English County Finals by 12 shots at Orsett in Essex

NOT even a hole-in-one from Billy McKenzie on his final hole before lunch could fire Hampshire to a fourth victory in a row in the South East Qualifier as Berks Bucks and Oxfordshire had their day in the sun shooting a remarkable 10-under par at Orsett to take their place at the English County Finals, in September.

The last time Hampshire failed to win the 11-strong South East Group was back in 2014 when Corhampton’s Scott Gregory had just broken into the first team.

But captain Ashley Walton’s team stepped on the gas as the mercury continued to rise throughout the afternoon in Romford, to reach the English County Finals for just the third time since 2001 as four of his six players finished inside the top 10 of the 66-strong field.

This year’s finals are Suffolk’s Aldeburgh – Walton’s team will be bidding to become English County Champions for just the fourth time since 1926. B.B.&O. were crowned champions in 1983 (Ganton), 1972 (Woodhall Spa) and 1969 (Saunton).

Hampshire captain Colin Roope was trying to emulate predecessor Martin Young’s victories in 2016 – when Harry Ellis fired his team-mates to victory at Reading’s Calcot Park, and last year at Norfolk’s Sheringham when they won by two.

B.B.&O. were seven ahead at lunch on seven-under par as a six-under par 66 from Berkshire Trophy winner George Gardener counterbalanced a worst score of 77 and also headed the leaderboard.

That kind of lead has been reeled in more often than not in the event’s long history.

But there was nothing watching captain Roope – who arguably had the strongest side on paper in the last decade when Hampshire have produced some of the countries top amateurs – could do or say to prevent what unfolded after lunch.

The three counties took four more shots collectively – but that masked a complete collapse from Gardener, who took 17 more after his morning heroics.

Castle Royle’s David Langley with the Peter Benka Trophy after his second round 65 saw him beat Kent’s Josh Bristow by two shots

With the Castle Royle player’s 83 the first card in, there seemed to be hope for Hampshire, but John Gough, from Stoke Park, added a 69 to his 71 while Frilford Heath’s Ollie Huggins had a pair of 71s.

Castle Royle’s Tim Shin had two 70s, but they were all overtaken by clubmate David Langley, who added a superb best-of-the-day 65 to his first round 70 to win the Peter Benka Trophy, which Ellis and Rowlands Castle’s Tom Robson claimed in 2016 and 2013.

And not to be outdone, Mill Ride’s George Bayliss improved six shots after lunch by posting a fine 71.

It left B.B.&O. on  854 – -10-under par for 36 holes – 12 clear of the defending champions with Kent a further six shots back.

McKenzie, who had an ace at the 15th – with the host club unusually starting the rounds at the seventh and 16th holes – was third individually on five-under after adding a 70 to his opening 69.

Meon Valley’s George Saunders bounced back from a disappointing 77 before lunch to shoot 70, while Shanklin’s Jordan Sundborg and Conor Richards shot four-over and two-over in total respectively.

Robson was also two-over while last year’s captain Martin Young from Brokenhurst Manor – who has been playing in the qualifiers for two decades, produced two 70s against the majority of the field who are half his age and younger.